The Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry has announced the return of the popular “Fall for Erie County Parks” photo contest, which is open to Erie County residents and offers amateur photographers an opportunity to focus on the beauty of Erie County’s 10,000-acre parks system and a chance to win a prize.

From October 21 through November 5, residents are encouraged to use their cameras at the Erie County Park of their choosing to capture digital images of beautiful fall foliage, serene park scenes and other natural beauty surroundings.

“Autumn is a beautiful season at our Erie County parks and provides a perfect opportunity to view natural beauty at its height. The brilliance of fall foliage underscores the serenity of our park settings and offers unique chances to capture some breathe-taking photographs,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Outdoor enthusiasts will have opportunities over the next few weeks to capture images of their favorite sights in our Erie County parks and share them on the Parks website and via social media. The top three submissions will be recognized with prizes, so I encourage residents to come to our parks for a great autumn experience.”

Rules for the contest can be viewed at the Parks Department website. Participants who live in Erie County can enter by posting their photos on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #FallforECParks .No professional photographs will be accepted. Only one entry per person can be submitted, and each submission must note in which park the photo was taken at and identify the location inside of the park. Only horizontal photos may be submitted. Participants will see their photos displayed by the Erie County Parks Department on their website and on social media outlets.

“With 10,000 acres to explore, our Parks offer countless photographic opportunities,” said Erie County Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Forestry Daniel J. Rizzo. “October is a wonderful month to be outside and enjoy the weather so we encourage all amateur photographers to bring their cameras and creative minds to our Erie County parks.”

Prizes for the 2017 Fall for Erie County Parks photo contest include a $25 Dick’s gift card for first-place, a $20 Dick’s gift card for second-place, and a $15 Dick’s gift card for third-place. Entries will be posted on the Parks’ Department social media accounts as they are received through November 5.